Design Review for a Distributed Tailings Deposition

System
Ignacio Bazán1*
1. Paterson & Cooke (UK) Ltd, United Kingdom

ABSTRACT
There has been an increasing move towards high-density thickened tailings systems over the last
decade, mainly driven by the need to save water, meet environmental regulations and project
specific demands.
A typical tailings distribution system on a tailings storage facility (TSF) consists of a main pipe with
multiple discharges operating simultaneously, to distribute the slurry across an extended length
over a specific area of the TSF at a time. A potential limitation of these systems is an uneven
distribution of slurry flow rate and solids concentration between multiple spigot discharges, where
an inadequate design can lead to laminar pipeline flow conditions resulting in particle segregation,
and an increased risk of pipeline blockage. An operation with unbalanced flow rates could result in
an uneven distribution of solids, that could impact the formation of beach slopes and/or cause
difficulties for the dam construction.
Paterson & Cooke (P&C) has previously developed several thickened tailings distributed systems,
where the discharge points are located on a distribution pipeline which branch off a main pipeline.
This previous experience has allowed P&C to develop a methodology for the hydraulic modelling
and implementation of these types of systems. This paper presents the methodology for
distribution system deposition design review and its implementation of a TSF located in southern
Europe.

1
INTRODUCTION

General
High-density thickened tailings systems have become more frequent in the past years, mainly
driven by the need to save water and to mitigate environmental concerns, meet corresponding local
regulations and specific project requirements.
Targeted beach slopes are best achieved using a distributed tailings deposition system comprising
of multiple simultaneously operating discharges which are spaced sufficiently far apart to ensure
the individual discharges do not combine on the beach (McPhail G. et al, 2018).
Experience has shown that it is possible to design a successful high-density thickened tailings
distribution system with multiple equal flow rate discharge spigots operating at the same time,
considering a long distance deposition front (Martinson R. et al, 2015).

TAILINGS DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS

When designing a distributed tailings deposition system there are two main slurry classifications
that are considered, depending on the material process properties and slurry mixture flow
behavior:
• Conventional tailings; or
• High-density thickened tailings transport.

Conventional Tailings Distribution Systems

Conventional tailings are generally in the ~20%m to 50%m solids mass concentration range and the
fully-sheared slurry mixture yield stress of 0 to 10 Pa. A conventional tailings distribution system
(CTDS) consists of a distribution pipeline, typically with the same pipe diameter, around the
perimeter of the TSF. From this distribution pipeline there are several spigots in operation at the
same time, equally separated and usually including an open-end discharge of same/similar
diameter as the distribution pipeline. The open-end pipe is used to start the system operation and
to minimize the risk of solids settling by maintaining enough slurry mixture velocity in the
distribution pipe when possible. The objective of CTDS is to facilitate the coarser particles settling
closer to the spigot discharge at the TSF. However, this type of systems could present the following
downsides when not designed properly:
• Uneven distribution of slurry flow rate and concentration through the spigots in
operation (higher flow rates and coarser particle size distributions through the initial
spigots compared with downstream spigots);
• A major part of the slurry is discharged through the open-end pipe; and
• End section of the distribution pipeline operates at low velocities when spigots are in
operation, leading to particles settling.

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Figure 1 presents a standard arrangement of a conventional tailings distribution system, showing
spigot discharges in operation and an open-end discharge:

Figure 1 Conventional tailings distribution system reference

Thickened Tailings Distribution Systems

Thickened tailings (high rate and high-density) are generally in the ~50%m to 70%m solids mass
concentration range and the fully-sheared slurry mixture yield stress of 10 to 60 Pa. A high-density
thickened tailings system (TTDS) requires pipe selection to verify turbulent flow regime over the
entire distribution pipeline to avoid laminar flow regime, and solids settling in the bottom of the
pipe that could lead to obstruction and blockage of pipelines (Cooke R. et al, 2002). The objective of
TTDS is to maximize the beach slope while maintaining a non-segregating TSF. Figure 2 presents an
arrangement of a high-density thickened tailings distribution system:

Figure 4 High-density thickened tailings distribution system reference

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CTDS and TTDS Tailings Storage Facilities
The following Figure 3 presents a schematic diagram showing a conceptual comparison between
CTDS and TTDS tailings storage facilities. TTDS have proven to achieve steeper beach slopes when
compared to CTDS (i2 > i1), this implies that a TTDS demands lower volume for TSF containment
wall construction (Vol1 >> Vol3). Conventional tailings present a higher water content than
thickened tailings, consequently there is a larger volume of water in the TSF that needs to be
managed by site operators (Vol2 > Vol4).

Conventional Tailings

Distribution system
TK
PU
i1 Vol2

TSF Vol1 >> Vol3

Vol1

Conventional tailings distriubtion system

i2 > i1

Thickened Tailings Vol2 > Vol4

TH
Distribution system where:
TK
PU Vol4 ≈ 0 m³
i2
Vol4
TSF
Vol3

High-density thickened tailings distribution system

Figure 3 CTDS and TTDS tailings storage facilities

Table 1 presents a summary of the project objectives, risks to be considered in the design,
operational challenges, and pump energy requirements for tailings distribution systems:

Table 1 Tailings distribution systems summary

Item Conventional Tailings High-density Thickened Tailings

Project • Tailings distribution from the different • Increase the facility storage capacities.
Objectives walls around the perimeter of the TSF, • Higher slurry dewatering and reduced
to control the storage facility growth water management in the TSF.
and facilitate the coarser particles • Allow for the development of
settling closer to the spigot discharge. reasonably steep beach slopes,
• Possibility to cover longer distances demanding lower volume for TSF
with lower pump requirements when containment wall.
compared to thickened tailings.

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 Item Conventional Tailings High-density Thickened Tailings

Design and • Equal distribution of slurry flow rate through spigots and solids.
Operational
Challenges • Slurry mixture velocities above solid • Higher rheology demands operating at
deposition velocity. higher velocities compared to
• Extensive water management in the conventional tailings, pipe material
TSF. selection preventing premature wear.
• Slight beach slopes demanding larger • Requirement for trained personnel with
containment walls. general knowledge of thickened
tailings.
• Experienced designers, beach slope
estimates.

Risks • Solid particles settling and obstruction of distribution pipeline.

• Attention to oversized solids or foreign material in the slurry (mill balls, lining from
pipes and trash in general) that may get trapped in spigots and/or smaller diameter
pipes.

Costs • Lower Capex when compared to • Higher Capex (thickeners, pumps,

thickened tailings systems. pipes, valves, instruments).
• Higher Opex for containment wall • Lower Opex for containment wall
construction. construction.

Pump Energy • Medium to low (Less than 50 m head • High (over 50 m head of slurry).
Requirements 1 of slurry typically).

TAILINGS DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM DESIGN PROCEDURE

System Duty Definition

For the hydraulic modelling, it is necessary to understand the TSF elevations over project life time
and pipeline routing. Mine production information must also be established, including solids
tonnage production (and variation), solids concentration range, temperature range, stand by
capacity, site conditions and mass balance.

1 Assumptions: 50 000 tpd tonnage and 2 000 m length pipeline. Conventional tailings 30%m mass
concentration and fully sheared slurry mixture yield stress of 0.0 Pa. Thickened tailings 65%m mass
concentration and fully sheared slurry mixture yield stress of 20.0 Pa.

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Slurry Characterization
The minimum test work that should be conducted for the mass balance and hydraulic modeling is
basic material properties (PSD, solids density), carrier fluid properties (viscosity, process water
chemistry), slurry mixture density and rheological properties. Depending on the project, pipe loop
tests for deposition velocity, pipeline restart, pipeline pressure gradients, pump derating and pipe
material wear tests could be included.

Hydraulic Design
Figure 4 presents a flow diagram and a typical arrangement of a tailings transport and deposition
system general design:

QT

Main Pipeline Note: Pumps may not be required if there is

Tailings Head Tank sufficient gravity head available
QT

Distribution Pipeline Distribution Pipeline

Q1 Q2 Discharge Spigots Discharge Spigots Q(n-1) Qn

Figure 4 Distributed tailings deposition system

A hydraulic model is built with the previous collected data, developing piping alignment and
profiles (length, changes of direction and elevations). This activity considers:
• Pipeline sizing and material selection - to determine sufficient operating velocities,
calculate pipeline friction losses, develop hydraulic grade lines for all operating
conditions, slurry head requirements and check pipeline pressure rating.
• Pump station design - pump type selection and materials, establish pump operating
limits and derating factors, check pump NPSH and suction requirements.

In a typical spigot discharge arrangement, assuming equally sized spigots with no other flow
control accessories, the flow rate from each spigot will be in proportion to the local pressure at the
spigot take-off (energy), generally resulting in a higher flow rate at the spigots closer to the main
pipeline and decreasing downstream to the last discharge in the distribution pipeline 2.

2 This occurs when spigots are spaced far apart. If spigots are closely spaced without a flow control
mechanism, it could be that the opposite results; that a higher flow rate discharges from the spigots closer to
the end of the distribution pipeline.

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To equalize the spigot discharge flow rates, a flow control mechanism in the form of a localized
head loss is required upstream of the spigot discharge.

𝑄𝑇
𝑄𝑖 =
𝑛
(1)
𝑊ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒;
𝑄𝑇 = 𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑦𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑚
𝑄𝑖 = 𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑔𝑒 𝑠𝑝𝑖𝑔𝑜𝑡 𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒
𝑛 = 𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑔𝑒𝑠

The number of spigots operating at the same time will define the flow rate of each discharge and
the hydraulic balance on the distribution pipeline. Number of spigots is a key parameter, defined
by the civil/geotechnical specialist and is intended to improve the beach slope in the TSF (for TTDS)
and to develop the tailings filling plan (for CTDS and TTDS).
The spigot pipe length is also considered in the hydraulic design; depending on the TSF filling plan,
the spigot length could be extended and/or relocated together with the distribution pipeline
following the TSF growth over the life time of the project.
Pipe selection should verify a minimum required operating velocity, based on either the solids
deposition velocity for conventional tailings or the laminar-turbulent transition velocity for high-
density thickened tailings as with most slurry pipeline designs.

Flow Rate Control

The required head loss for each spigot is determined by calculating the energy balance along the
distribution pipeline, considering the decrease in total flow rate downstream the distribution line.

𝐻𝐷𝑖 = ∆ℎ𝑆𝑖
(2)

𝑊ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒;
𝐻𝐷𝑖 = ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑑 𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑐𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑏𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑝𝑖𝑝𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑒
∆ℎ𝑆𝑖 = ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑑 𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑐𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑖𝑛 𝑒𝑎𝑐ℎ 𝑠𝑝𝑖𝑔𝑜𝑡 𝑝𝑖𝑝𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑒𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑

Assuming equal flow rate is required for the spigots, the head loss requirements for each spigot are
determined, the minor head loss coefficient ‘K’ is calculated for each spigot, then the flow control
mechanism to be included in the system can be selected and sized. Figure 5 presents an example of
an energy balance along the distribution pipeline:

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 QT Main Pipeline
Distribution Pipeline
H(n-6) Hydraulic Grade Line
H(n-5)
H(n-4)
H(n-3)
H(n-2)
H(n-1)
Hn
Distribution Pipeline Δh(n-6) Δh(n-5) Δh(n-4) Δh(n-3) Δh(n-2) Δh(n-1) Δh
n

Q1 Q2 Q3 Q(n-6) Q(n-5) Q(n-4) Q(n-3) Q(n-2) Q(n-1) Qn

Discharge Spigots Discharge Spigots

Figure 5 Distribution Pipeline Hydraulic Grade Line Example

The previous exercise is developed for the entire design operational flow rates envelope, including
tonnage production and solids concentration variability. Depending on the spigots discharge flow
rate required, nowadays a variety of flow control options are available, including:
• Slurry control valves, such as pinch or diaphragm valves.
• Using small diameter spigot piping to act as a “choke” restriction; or
• Small bore orifice plates at each spigot discharge. These are generally the preferred
option when there is a high number of simultaneous discharges, for its simplicity of use
and minimum control requirements for site operators, guarantee against mechanical
failures, cost savings and reliability when compared to an active system.
The selection of the flow control option for the spigots discharges is dependent on the level of
operator interaction preferred; in the case of valves these can be manually or automated actuated
for opening and closure.
The following Figure 6 presents a flow chart for the design review methodology for a distributed
tailings deposition system.

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 System Duty Slurry
Hydraulic Design
Definition Characterization

Engineering

• Transient analisis
• Pipe supports and stress analysis
Flow Rate Control
• Identify instrumentation required
• Specify control philosophy
• HAZOP studies

Figure 6 Design Review Methodology for a Distributed Tailings Deposition System

Case Study
Case study is a 310 tph polymetallic base metal operation in southern Europe, for a high-density
thickened tailings distribution system. This consisted of a ~2 000 m length main pipe with
150 mm NB, from a new pump station to the TSF location. A distribution pipeline with 6 spigot
operating at the same time, with equal flow rate and discharges spaced at 200 m each. The pipe
selection for the distribution pipeline was designed in a range between 100 mm to 65 mm NB
selected to ensure turbulent flow regime along the entire length. Spigot piping to the TSF
considered 65 mm and 90 mm NB. The use of slurry pinch valves as a flow control element was
selected in this case, due to client and site operators preference. The small spigot pipe diameter and
the reduced number of spigots operating simultaneously (when compared to a large tonnage
operation) also justified pinch valve selection. This tailings distribution system presented the
following process requirements:

Table 2 Process requirements summary

Item Value / Description

Solids throughput Nom / Min / Max = 310 tph (±10%)

Solids mass concentration Nom / Min / Max = 70 %m / 67 %m / 72 %m

Solids density 4.5 t/m3

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 Item Value / Description

Slurry yield stress C 70%m = 14 Pa

fully sheared C 67%m = 8 Pa
C 72%m = 20 Pa

Number of spigots in operation six operating simultaneously, equal flow rate

Spigot spacing 200 m

Spigot discharge flow control Manual pinch valves

Delivery system type Centrifugal pumps

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

• Experience has shown it is possible to design a successful distributed tailings deposition

system with the correct integration of slurry mixture flow behavior knowledge and
system philosophy of operation, either if it is to transport conventional tailings or
thickened tailings. Each type of slurry presents specific challenges from the design and
TSF operation point of view.
• Capex and Opex of a tailings distribution system is sensitive to the solids concentration
by mass operational range, as it defines:
o Target beach slope estimates
o TSF growth plan modelling,
o Slurry mixture flow behavior, and
o Mass balance, flow rates for the sizing of pipelines, pump station and system
energy requirements.
• The use of thickened tailings with a single point discharge system does not assure steeper
beach slopes in the TSF. Tailings distribution systems with simultaneous discharges
operating simultaneously with equal flow rate allow for the development of reasonably
steep beach slopes when considering thickened tailings with high rheology (i.e. yield
stresses and Bingham plastic viscosity). This type of system could considerably reduce
the costs associated with the construction of larger containment walls.
• The case study shows the implementation of the design review methodology approach in
full scale application. This type of system has allowed operations to achieve the required
tailings deposition method, over a range of slurry mixture process variables.

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NOMENCLATURE

%m solids concentration percentage by mass

C solids concentration by mass
m meter
mm millimeter
m3 cubic meter
NB nominal bore
PSD particle size distribution
TSF tailings storage facility
t tonne (metric)
tph tonnes per hour (metric)
Pa Pascal (yield stress unit)
Pa·s Pascal per second (viscosity unit)

REFERENCES

Eriz, P., Salinas, C. & Martinson, R. (2018) ‘Gravity Tailings Distribution System: Analysis and
Novel Presentation of Hydraulic Performance‘, Tailings 2018 - 5th International Seminar on Tailings
Management, Gecamin, Santiago, Chile.

McPhail, G. (2018) ‘Beach Prediction Experience to Date: Further Development and Review of the
Stream Power-Entropy Approach‘, Paste 2018 - 21st International Seminar on Paste and Thickened
Tailings, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth, Australia.

Stowe, J.; Cooke, R.; Farrell, I.; Martinson, R. (2018) ‘Design Considerations for Distributed Tailings
Deposition Systems’, Proceedings Tailings and Mine Waste 2018, Colorado State University, Keystone,
Colorado, USA.

Bazan, I., Eriz, G., Martinson, R. & Bello, F. (2017) ‘Tailings Distribution Systems Operating with
Spigots Discharges: Design and Practical Considerations‘, Tailings 2017 - 4th International Seminar on
Tailings Management, Gecamin, Santiago, Chile.

Martinson, R.; Engels, J.; McPhail, G. (2015) ‘High Density Thickened Tailings: New Design
Challenges in Transportation and Deposition’. Tailings 2015 - 3rd International Seminar on Tailings
Management, Gecamin, Santiago, Chile.

Cooke, R. (2002) ‘Laminar Flow Settling: The Potential for Unexpected Problems‘. 15th International
Conference on Hydrotransport, Banff, Canada.

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